Death Seeker
by Pryzeofsin
Summary: Auron feels he has nothing left to live for, and Rikku is determined to prove to him otherwise. 10 years after X, 8 years after X-2.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I am back with a brand new Aurikku! This was something that popped in my head the other night and I was fortunate to be able to bang out an entire plot summary! As with most of my fics, this will not be an epic... It will be as long as it needs to be to tell the story. I have hopes that I will be able to finish this one in a timely matter since I have a beginning, middle and end... (Whereas most times, I just have an ending and beginning). This will eventually be a romance... with plenty of fluff and such. **

**Anyways. Hope you enjoy! **

_Death Seeker: Chapter One. _

Rikku wiped the sweat off her brow. The sun was relentless as she stood atop Fremen's Hill, a massive dune near the center of Bikanel. She scanned out over the vast desert with a pair of binoculars, looking for any sign of the digging party that had gone missing the previous day. She saw nothing however. She huffed dropping her hands to her side. She continued to look with her own eyes though, still silently hoping to catch a glimpse of anything out of place. All she saw was the sepia toned wasteland before her.

She slipped the binoculars into the pouch on her hip and sighed. The sun was setting and she needed to get back to camp before nightfall. She could only hope that someone else had more luck locating the missing crew. She had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach that even if they found something, it wouldn't be good.

She took her place on the back of her speeder and headed back in the direction of the base camp they had assembled for the search parties. It was already dark in that direction, she knew she needed to hurry; the stronger fiends always came out after dark. If something happened to her, her father would go ballistic.

Cid had protested to her being involved in the search mission. He had stated that it was reckless and stupid for her to go out. There were plenty of other people who could do it, but she had refused... If she was going to be a leader to her people someday, she felt like she needed to be involved. She needed to show them how much she truly cared about them. She wanted to earn their respect, not have it given to her by being her father's daughter.

It felt like eons ago when she had finally decided to take her place with her people and accept her father's offer to one day; become the leader of the Al Bhed.

8 years previously, just after the defeat of Vegnagun, Cid announced that he needed his people to help in a collaborative effort to rebuild their home. No longer did they have to hide from sin, or yevonites, and they were able to build their city in a more enjoyable environment. The east side of Bikanel was far more hospitable along the coastline. Almost as tropical as Besaid year round, greenery grew freely thanks to the afternoon thunderstorms that popped up out of the ocean. Most of them, however, fizzled out just a few miles inland, which they deduced was the cause of the rest of the island being, for the most part, inhospitable.

With the help of the machine faction, and the advancements made to machina with the use of the massive, now unrestricted, library in Bevelle, they were not only able to figure out how to generate power using the motion of the waves from the ocean, but also potable water using reverse osmosis.

Rikku had been living in Besaid at the time when the news finally reached the small island. She had been lost, not knowing how to spend the rest of her life. It seemed like there was nothing for her. She still wanted adventure, but everyone else had their own lives around her. She felt like she was living vicariously through her friends, and had no real direct for herself. When she heard her father's plans, she knew then what she was meant to do.

She had left Besaid that evening, feeling like a new person. A person with direction, something to look forward to.

To her surprise, not only did mostly all the Al Bhed left in Spira show up, but there were also many others Spirians, sympathetic to their cause. They wanted to be involved and learn from the Al Bhed. For so long, Machina was a taboo, and now that it wasn't people were drawn to the one place they could really see it being put to good use.

Seemingly overnight, a city arose from the ashes of the old home. Apartments, Medical facilities, shops and even a R&D institute, led by Shin-Ra of course, created a community that rivaled even Bevelle. This was their new home, and it was growing every day. Everyone was welcome. It was a chance for people to start a new life, including Rikku.

Her father had been elated when she approached him. She knew that he felt like he was getting a second chance at fatherhood. Brother was clearly not suited to take her father's place; it was debatable if he should really be piloting the Celsius around with Buddy. The only other option had been her, or giving the responsibility to someone outside the family. That thought didn't sit well with Cid. The duties of leader had been in their family as long as anyone remembered.

Rikku could see the lights from the scout camp above the hill as she approached. They had made the camp about 50 miles inland from Home, the location of the last transmission from the digging party. The grouping of tents and canopies was nested atop a high dune for a good vantage point of the surrounding. Rikku could see others patrolling the perimeter taking little notice of her as she reunited with the others.

She parked her speeder with the others and made her way to the main tent. The rest of the camp was silent. The mood was solemn and she knew that the news of the day would not be good. It had been 3 days now, and there was no sign. Typically, if nothing was found after 3 days, it was gone for good, and the searches were disbanded. This was the second time in the last few months that a digging party had come up missing.

24 lives lost. That was more than they lost in the entire 7 years she had been out here in the desert. There was something seriously wrong.

She could hear yelling as she approached the large tent in the center of the encampment. It was her father; she knew right off the bat. His voice could carry over continents. As Rikku pulled the tent flap back and entered the enclosure, no one took any notice of her. There were a few others standing around and Cid was yelling at some poor boy who looked like he was about to piss himself. Rikku rolled her eyes and interjected before her father could do any more Damage.

"Vydran..." She started getting his attention.

Cid stopped his tirade and finally took notice of her, "Where the hell have you been!?" His previous victim forgotten, he turned his attention to her, "its past dark!"

The others took this as a sign that they could leave, and did so very very slowly. Rikku rolled her eyes. Her father's over protectiveness was exhausting. Not that she ever listened to him. She may be in "leader training" but she was still her own person. It had been a back and forth battle the last 7 years between them. He was constantly worried for her safety, and she... well she was not. She helped Sin AND Vegnagun! She had not illusions of invincibility; however she knew that she could more than handle herself against anything that came at her.

It was this reason she dodged his question, and changed the subject, did any one find anything?"

Cid stared at her for a moment, trying to decide whether it would do any good to argue with her or not and ultimately decided the later. He sighed defeated and finally pointed to a table in the far side of the tent.

Rikku followed his direction and walked over to the table, afraid of what she was going to find. All that was there were some scraps of cloth and a giant black feather. Rikku turned to her father with a questioning look on her face.

"It's a Zuu." Cid stated.

"Do what?" Rikku said inspecting the feather again. It looked like a Zuu feather, but the thing was enormous. It would have had to have been a fiend massive in size, bigger than anything they had ever encountered in the past. She picked the feather up. It had to have been 5 foot or longer in size. It was still surprisingly light. She noticed the feather, although black, shone iridescently as the light hit it, almost as if dipped in oil.

It was definitely a Zuu feather. It would also explain the reason no trace of the parties had been found. The Zuu was swallowing them whole. She sat the feather back down on the table and turned back to Cid.

"How can this thing have hidden this long?" She asked leaning against the table, "We have been over this desert a million times, why are we only just seeing this thing?" She asked, more to herself than her father.

He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged, "Shin-Ra thinks the thing may have just woke up or something."

Rikku nodded in agreement, "yeah that would make since... I wonder why now..." She let her train of thought trail at the end of the sentence and they sat in a pregnant silence. Rikku contemplated the new fiend, and came to the conclusion that only one course of action need be taken, "Let's get out there and kill the damn thing!" She chirped.

Cid shook his head, "Please tell me missy, how the hell you plan on killing that thing, much less finding it. We could lose another 100 people before we actually get a chance at that damn thing. There are hundreds of miles square miles of desert out there, and the thing doesn't seem to have a set territory."

Rikku pondered this for a moment, "I can-"

"You can do NOTHING and let me handle this. I typically let you do what you want, but in this case I am putting my foot down. I will lock you in a cell until this is taken care of if I have to... I am serious this time..."

"But-" Rikku started.

"No buts!" Cid yelled, "Let it go girl! You can't always play hero anymore Rikku. What would I do if something happened to you!?"

Rikku didn't say anything. She stared down, as she gently toed at the sand under her feet. She felt like a 5 year old being chastised, "Fine... " She finally mumbled, "I'll leave it alone..."

"You'd better. If I find out otherwise, there will be hell to pay!" Cid said turning on his heel and storming out of the tent.

Rikku sighed and plopped down on a random chair sitting in the corner. She briefly contemplated the repercussions if she were to disobey her father... What was the worst he could really do? She didn't really want to know the answer to that question. Her father seemed to have grown a pair since the reconstruction. She wasn't quite sure what he was capable of now days. No, she would have to wait to see what his plan of action really was, and then take it from there. She could then determine if she would need to intervene or not.

* * *

In between blitz seasons, Luca was quite. If a person didn't know better, they would mistake the city for a normal port town, whose only major resource was fishing and transportation. Auron much preferred the city this way. He was free to mill about as he pleased without dealing with the throngs of drunken blitz fans and pushy street vendors.

After a brief visit in Besaid, Auron had resumed his aimless wandering. He would take jobs here and there just to maintain enough gil for food and lodging, but for the most part, he was a man without a cause.

The thought of settling down made him uneasy. Something about staying someplace too long didn't sit right with him. He supposed that this may have had to do with the fact that he never really had a real home. The longest he had been in one place was with Tidus in Zanarkand, but even then, he had a mission.

Now he was a warrior without a war.

He was convinced that they fayth had sent him back as a joke. Maybe they thought it was funny to send him back the same day Yuna and Tidus' first child was born, who also just happened to be named Auron. Auron, however, did not find it amusing... regardless of reasoning, he only wanted one thing.

He just wanted to rest.

His story was supposed to have been over. He paid his penance. He fought countless fiends, had been on 2 pilgrimages, and assisted in bringing a permanent peace to Spira, but for some reason, the fayth would just not let him rest.

Auron didn't outright believe in suicide, that was a coward's way out... No, he wanted to go in battle, as it was always intended. There was no glory dying an old man with nothing in this world but a sword and outdated ideals... He would go out kicking and screaming for sure, he just hoped it would be sooner than later.

This was the reason he had taken to seeking out the strongest fiends he could find left in Spira. Most amounted to be no match for him, but hopefully someday he would find the one beast with his ticket to eternal rest. It was this reason he had been heading to the Thunder Plains. He had heard rumors of an out of control Behemoth that needed taken care of. If he did happen to take the monster down, the money was worth the trip.

Auron had stopped at a small pub out at the docks in Luca for a quick meal and a refill on the Sake jug he still carried at his hip. The place was small and mostly there to cater to the locals. He doubted that anyone not from here would know where to go to find the place. The inside was plain and not nearly as excessively decorated as the other bars in Luca. The place was empty with the exception of a few Al Bhed seated at the bar. They were discussing the recent disappearance of a few digging crews deep in the desert.

This of course caught Auron's attention. From what he could make out, with the way they spoke in and out of Al Bhed, the rumors were that it was a giant bird fiend of some sort. Apparently there was some very handsome reward for the individual(s) who could take the bird out and bring the head back to Cid.

He briefly wondered about Rikku and her involvement in this. He remembered hearing that she had taken her place with her people. It had been some time since he had seen her. She was there the day he had been sent back, and a few other times here and there in his brief interactions and special occasions where Yuna had requested the presence of her former guardians, but other than that, their communication was minimal.

Regardless, the prospect of this new fiend had piqued Auron's interest. Conveniently he was in Luca. He would be able to hop on the next boat to Bikanel. If Auron believed in such sentimental ideals, he would have said it was all fate. Possibly this creature would be the one with his number...

With new found resolve he gathered his things and left some Gil on the table making his way back to the docks.

**There you are! Hope you liked it. **

**Reviews are ALWAYS helpful**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay guys, just as promised... here is chapter 2. Hope you enjoy. **

* * *

_Death Seeker: Chapter 2_

On the outside, Home could have easily been mistaken for a simple resort town like Kilika or Besaid. Many of the homes and business had been built into the ruins left lining the coast from another time, or even the landscape itself. The structures had been reinforced to prevent further ware from the elements, and more modern amenities had been installed to make the ruins more hospitable, however they still maintained an archaic appearance from a time long past.

Even more surprising to Auron was the population of not only Al Bhed, but regular Spirians who inhabited the place, still nostalgically called "Home." As he walked the cobbled streets he noticed however that everyone seemed to have a purpose and a job. People were not here on vacation, this was their home, in a literal sense. They worked to maintain and improve the town. Fishermen, shopkeepers, water sellers, and even a few armed guards (whom he assumed was only there on the off chance of a fiend attack) played their roles perfectly, keeping a daily harmony that most other towns in Spira didn't seem to get quite right.

It was all actually quite beautiful.

Auron was also equally impressed with the ingenuity of the Al Bhed. To be able to read and understand books and schematics they were able to obtain from a 1000 year old library, then put the inventions into a practical use, was amazing. Who knew that the most hated tribe on the planet would eventually be responsible for some of the most amazing feats that would vastly improve the way of life for every Sprian.

Auron now sat in a large tent canopy on the outskirts of development, waiting for an audience with Cid. He had stripped his jacket on the back of the chair he rested in and enjoyed the cool breeze of the fan above him. This side of the island may have been more hospitable, but the heat was still very much there.

On the table in front of him were maps that had been marked up and drawn on. He could tell that each one seemed to be a different section of Bikanel. More maps and drawings lined the walls swaying gently to the rhythm of the airflow. The floor was a woven straw mat, he assumed was only there to keep a stable plane for the furniture to rest on. Auron noted that there was even a small cot in the back of the tent.

He had been waiting now, for what seemed like hours. He had wanted to get an early start to his hunt, but that didn't look possible at this point. The girl who had lead him back here had advised him that Cid was not in the best of moods, and that he should probably come back after this bird problem blew over. Auron had of course refused, and not given any further information.

Suddenly, the tent flap was ripped aside and in strode Cid, his hands full of what looked like scraps of metal and various machina components. He didn't appear to take any notice of Auron as he made his way around the table and dropped everything on the ground in the corner of the tent. Cid then ripped something off the wall and moved to the table where he began scribbling something on the paper. Auron watched him, a little less than amused.

After a few more moments of being ignored, Auron finally cleared his throat to announce his presence. Cid didn't look up from what he was doing, "Yeah, yeah, I know you're there. Waddya want!? Can't you see I got a million other things to worry about?"

Auron ignored his blatant disrespect. He knew that this was just how the man was. He had had very few interactions with Cid in the past, but from what little he had been exposed to the man, he knew that this was normal behavior.

"I believe I can take care of at least one of those problems for you." Auron finally spoke up, "I hear you have a bird problem..."

Cid finally looked up unimpressed, and threw his writing utensil on the table, "Yeah, and what's a former guardian like yourself doing all the way out here just for a little pest control?"

Auron met Cid's eyes, "Funny, I was wondering the same thing myself, considering you currently employ a former guardian on your crew..."

His face contorted to a mix of anger and amusement, but without missing a beat Cid replied, "That damn girl is too brave for her own good. I swear I had to threaten imprisonment just to get her to keep her ass outta' this. S'time she grew up and stopped tryin' to play hero."

Auron considered this an acceptable response let out a 'hmph' then stood up, "Then I suppose I am your only other option." He came to stand in front of the table, keeping eye contact with Cid. There was a slight tension between the two for some reason.

Auron could tell where Rikku got her spunk, but Cid was insane... Rikku wasn't quite there yet, at least he hoped. He hadn't seen her in quite some time... things could have changed.

Cid finally gave in, "Yeah, I s'pose you are... " He sighed dramatically and looked down at the maps, pulling one out from the bottom of the pile. He pointed to a large circle on the map, surrounded by X's, "We are pretty sure we know where the big bitch is hiding now... She has been using the tunnels underneath the wreckage of our old compound to nest. Sent some scouts down there... they found all sorts of shit, including the bodies of a few of the missing diggers.

"Unfortunately, the entire island seems to be her territory. She has been spotted as far as the west beach, but also as close as about 5 klicks north..." He continued pointing to the map as he spoke.

Auron stored this information in the back of his mind, "Do you know what it is?" He asked.

Cid pointed to a feather hanging on the wall to his left Auron hadn't noticed before. It had to have been at least 5 feet long, "It's some kinda mutant Zuu or something... We don't know where the hell it came from, and frankly I don't give a rat's ass...I want it dead."

Auron nodded, "I believe I can help you with that..." He met Cid's eye again, "I trust that I will be able to get the necessary supplies?"

"Yeah yeah, we'll set you up." Cid waved his hand in the air in dismissal, "Wouldn't want another body on my hands... Pretty sure we gotta extra speeder lying around too, should make things a bit easier..."

Auron nodded, "I appreciate it... I would like to get started as soon as possible."

Cid scratched the back of his head, "Don't you wanna talk about payment?" He asked a bit confused.

"I am sure whatever payment you provide should be more than sufficient..."

Cid nodded in agreement, and didn't push the issue, "Alright, well... Let's go get you set up."

* * *

Rikku let out a slew of curses and obscenities as she threw the offending wrench in her hand as far away from herself as possible. The reason for her extreme discontent was clear on her as her face and clothes were covered in oil. She pushed herself off of the ground and kicked closed her tool box.

"I am done! I don't know why I even tried to fix this damn thing, we don't even have the right parts!" She grumbled grabbing a rag off the back of the speeder she had been working on. She tried to the best of her ability to wipe the oil off of her face. Fortunately she had decided to wear coveralls over the top of her clothing, thus saving them from the fate suffered by previous Rikku outfits in the past.

She unzipped the front of the coveralls, letting them fall to the ground at her feet, and stepped out of them, "Woah, much better.. " She said reveling in the freedom her current choice of attire, which of course left nothing to the imagination, but kept her cool in the desert heat.

The sleeveless green fitted shirt ended just below her breasts and tied up the sides with dark brown leather. She adjusted the knots on the sides making sure nothing devious happened to pop out. She grabbed her utility belt where she kept her blades and garment grids and buckled it around her hips, which were covered in an equally fitted pair of dark brown shorts. She reached down and made sure her boots were laced properly and wiped a few streaks of grease off the toe.

With a relieved huff she stood back up grabbing her bag and threw it over her shoulder. She was done with working for the day. She had thrown herself into rebuilding the engine of a new speeder they had hauled in from one of the ocean excursions in order to distract herself from the current situation they were having in the desert, but it wasn't working. This speeder was different than the other's and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to fix it by herself.

She stepped out of the metal garage she had built for herself behind her residence. The garage was large, considering she had done most of the work herself. Brother and Buddy helped with all of the heavy lifting, of course, but the design and most of the assembly had been by her own hand.

It was the same with her modest house she had built on the beach. True to most of the other houses, she had her designed around the ruins left from a previous era. The stone structure had been little more than 4 stone walls and a floor at first, but with some creativity and careful planning, she had turned it into a perfect house.

On the outside, the roof had been reinforced in order to make a sitting area from which one could look out over the ocean. There was a fire pit and large canopy there that housed a couple of large plush chairs. This was where she spent a majority of her time when she wasn't in the garage. On the inside, Rikku had left the walls stone. This allowed it to stay cool without having to use a lot of energy. There were two bedrooms at opposite ends of the house and the sitting area in the center. Each bedroom had its own bathroom and a small porch that lead out to the beach. A small kitchen and dining area were situated just off the sitting room.

Rikku was very proud of her home. She had never really had a place to herself before. In the old compound, she and her brother had shared a living space, which was an adventure in and of itself.

For now, however she bypassed her house and hopped on her cruizer parked on the beach. She had promised her dad she would stay out of the whole killer bird thing, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to ask for regular updates, plus, maybe if she bothered him enough about it, he would relent and let her help go after it.

The ride to the edge of town where her father had set up his base of operation only took minutes on the cruizer. She didn't even have to go through town, as her house was situated so much further from everyone else's.

The tent her father used was surrounded by other tents and temporary buildings that housed machina and parts they scavenged on their desert digs. There was another scrap yard closer to the beach where their spoils from ocean excursions were sorted and distributed to locations to which they would be of the most use. Large desert transports and digging machina lined the desert side of the encampment. Most of the tents were used as temporary housing for new workers, but there was also a mess tent and and a bar so people didn't have to go all the way back into town if the needed a break from the heat.

Her father seemed to prefer to spend more time out there than anywhere. Rikku was pretty sure that he lived there now too. Her father could be such an idiot at times, but he was true to his cause and dedicated to the restoration of their people. She hoped that one day, she would feel that strongly about something.

Rikku parked her speeder at the edge of the encampment with the rest and made her way to her father's tent. She didn't hear anything coming from inside, so she assumed he wasn't there. She drew the tent flap aside just incase and peeked her head inside. She was correct, there was no one there.

She could see a marked up map on the table inside and her curiosity got the best of her and she went in further looking over the maps and documents on the table. She was disappointed to find that there wasn't anything there that she didn't already know. She was hoping for some major development to the case of the mutant Zuu they had been hunting over the past week.

She sighed and dropped the map back down onto the table and turned. She was about to leave to find her father, when she was stopped dead in her tracks by something that had not previously caught her eye.

There, laid over the back of the chair in the corner, was a red coat, which she would have recognized anywhere. Rikku cautiously walked over to Auron's coat and touched it lightly, as if it would bite her if she were too rough. What the hell was Auron doing all the way out here, and why did he leave his coat in her father's tent. Even as these questions went through her head, she already knew the answer. Auron was here to hunt the bird!

She grabbed the coat and threw it over one of her arms and bolted out of the tent. If Auron was there to take out the fiend, then she was damn sure going to help, regardless of what her father said. What was HE going to do? Ground her? Geesh, she wasn't a child anymore. She was 25, more than grown by Al Bhed standards. He needed to get over this protective streak he had suddenly developed upon her acceptance of his legacy.

She had butterflies in her stomach over the thought of seeing Auron again and she wasn't sure why... She had always had a crush on him, she always wanted to impress him, to make him see her as an uber-badass Al Bhed chick, not some whiny incompetent child. He was so strong, he was everything she was not, but she wasn't sure why she still harbored this childhood crush... Maybe it was the 'want what you can have' syndrome.

Regardless, now was her time to impress him. She was no spring chocobo! She WAS an uber-badass, and she was going to show him (and her father) that she could more than handle herself. First she would need to figure out which direction Auron went. If he had gone with the intel they currently had, he would be off in the direction of their former Home.

She wondered how long he had been here. It had only been a day or so since she had seen her father. Cid seemed to feel the need to check in on her at least once a day since this whole things started, just to make sure she was being the good little heiress and staying outta trouble.

Boy, her pops was gonna be pissed.

As she approached her curizer, she saw that she had a guest, whom she had neither the time nor the paitence for at the moment.

"'Sup princess..." Gippal smirked leaning against the seat of the vehicle.

Rikku scrunched up her nose at him, "Go away. I don't have time for you right now..." She said flatly.

Gippal made a fake gasp oh hurt, "Princess, please do not reject me, for my heart may not recover another break..."

Rikku rolled her eyes. She ignored him as she opened the rucksack tied to the back of her cruizer and stuffed Auron's coat inside.

"Hey is that-" Gippal said taking notice of the coat.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Rikku blurted out, slightly more irritated now.

Gippal scratched the back of his head, "Nothing, I was just curious. There had been rumors all morning that Auron was around to fight off the big bird..."

"Thats SIR Auron to you... " She replied curtly, "I have to go, Gippal... I'll let you annoy me more later... " She said nudging him out of the way and mounting her steed. She slipped on a pair of goggles she kept hanging on the handlebars of the cruizer for when she went into the desert.

"Wait, so is that a date?" Gippal asked smoothly.

Rikku huffed, "Yeah right, whatever... just get outta the way!"

Gippal obliged with a smug grin on his face and just as soon as he was out of the way, Rikku sped off into the desert.

* * *

**Okay, So I wasn't going to leave this chapter where it was, but I couldn't figure any other stopping point. Next chapter, the couple will be reunited! Finally! Please keep up the reviews. I am so happy with the feedback I got on the first chapter. Chapter 3 should be out early next week. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Guys, I am so sorry this took me so long to get out! I was completely stumped as to how to approach this chapter. I had an idea of where I was going, but no clue how to present it without it sounding hurried. I am still not 100% satisfied, but that's okay… You are the ones who have to like it! Oh and thank you for all the WONDERFUL reviews.**

**So here you go… the much anticipated… **

_Death Seeker: Chapter 3_

Auron was ready to give up.

He had already been out in the desert for over a day, and there was still absolutely no sign of the fiend he was hunting. He was posted up at one of the way stations closest to the former home of the Al Bhed waiting... waiting... waiting... And there was nothing. During the mid-day, when the sun was at its highest, he thought it best to keep Cid's advice in mind and stay out of the sun. He had spent the previous night and evening hunting for any sign of the fiend, unfortunately the only thing he came into contact with was a few worms and some wolves.

Now he sat, waiting for the sun to begin to set, and the desert to return to a more reasonable temperature. He was more than bored. He had tried to sleep, but it was difficult in the heat. He had studied the maps Cid provided him over and over out of boredom, and he was sure that he could navigate Bikanel simply by memory if he needed to. He had analyzed the rest of the gear and tools Cid had provided him as well. There was water, a light blanket that folded down into a pocket sized square for easy storage, a compass, some food rations which were surprisingly good for being dried meats and fruits, fire starters, some grenades, Al Bhed potions and a flask of spiced liquor that was very flammable, which Auron had only discovered after trying a sip and discovering the proof was so high, his eyes watered.

He sighed and leaned back on his elbows. He stared out into his monotonous surroundings and silently prayed that a random fiend would come and put him out of his misery now. This was a stupid idea; he should have just left the Al Bhed to deal with the fiend on their own time. He groaned in frustration and laid the rest of the way back, staring up at the roof of the tent.

He poured some more of the spiced liquor into his mouth and did his best not to gag. That stuff was horrible. If he didn't know any better he would say that it doubled as fuel for the speeders they used. He closed his eyes listening to the nothingness.

"You're doing this all wrong..." Said a voice suddenly next to him. Auron's eyes flew open and his head rolled to his left where the child fayth of Bahamut sat innocently. His eyes were covered but Auron could see the condescending smirk of the child. He groaned.

"What do you want from me boy?" Auron sneered.

"What do YOU want...?" The fayth returned cryptically.

Auron rolled his eyes, "Right now, I would like for you to leave me alone..."

"But you are doing it wrong..." The fayth repeated again.

Auron sat up, angry now, "And just WHAT am I doing wrong boy!?"

"Life..." Bahamut replied simply, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world...

"I never wanted to be sent back in the first place boy!" Auron yelled, "I was perfectly content with the idea of eternal rest... I had earned it..." He said, softer now.

Bahamut frowned, "You were given a gift, you deserved THAT. You always put others before yourself, but you deserved a chance to create your own path...But you are not doing a very good job..."

Auron looked away, "Then take me back to the farplane."

"No. You must live, you will find a reason... soon enough."

Auron was going to ask him what the hell that was supposed to mean, but the boy was gone when he turned back, "Damnit boy, get back here!" Auron yelled. He tore himself off the straw mat he was resting on and out of the tent, looking around in all directions, though he knew the boy was already gone, "Fucking Fayth! Can't you just leave a man in peace?!" He cursed to the sky. There was a loud shriek behind him and a large shadow blacked out the sky.

Auron sat up with a start, confused and incoherent. He was still in the tent. The bottle of spiced liquor was at his side turned over. Most of the contents had spilled, he grumbled something about how he must have fallen asleep, but he knew the boy was there in his dreams. He didn't get a chance to ponder the dream further, as the same shriek from his dream brought him fully back to reality.

It had come from the direction of the old Al Bhed compound. His heart sped up and he knew that this was his prey. He grabbed his sword and left the tent, noting that he must have slept for a while as the sun was starting to set.

He took off up the giant dune to confront the bird, hoping that he would catch it before it went back into hiding. As he crested the top of what felt like a mountain he finally saw the monster that had been terrorizing the Al Bhed. The thing was huge, at least half the size of Sin. It was perched just outside the giant tunnel system munching on one of the giant desert worms. The worm looked puny compared to the beast before him. He suddenly realized that he may have bitten off more than he could chew...

It was a good thing he had been looking for a fight. To hell with what Bahamut said... he would be back in the farplane by sundown.

* * *

Rikku had to stop about mid-day to rest. She was not as accustomed to the heat as the use to be. Her time on the mainland had lessened her tolerance for the desert.

She had found one of the many way stations in the desert and rested there to rehydrate and eat something. She had to wait out the noon sun, which was much too hot, even for her speeder. She was more than impatient, wishing she would speed up time. She had to make it to Auron. He might be the strongest person she has even met, but she knew he was still no match for the beast he was hunting. She could help, she had to.

She hoped that he too, was delayed by the sun.

As soon as she felt up to it, she was back on her speeder. It wasn't going to take her much longer to get back to the old home. Judging from the marks on the map that was the most likely destination her father had advised him to find the fiend.

The thought of her father made her cringe suddenly. He was going to be furious with her, but really, what was the worst he could do? She didn't really want to know the answer, and hoped that this all went without incident... If she got hurt... she would never hear the end of it, and would probably be locked in a tower till it was time for him to step down as leader.

A loud screech brought her out of her thoughts, and she could see the wings of the beast before she even crested the top of the hill her speeder had been climbing. She stopped when she reached the top out of terror. The thing was a Zuu alright, but it was enormous! How was such a fiend able to hide out here!?

She remembered Shin-Ra had said that the thing probably only came out every so often to lay eggs. They had never encountered the beast before, so it was most likely the influx of activity on the island that woke the beast.

She spotted Auron below who looked like an ant compared to the beast. It wasn't even in flight and it still towered over him. She watched him slash up at the bird, catching it in the underbelly, but it probably was no more than the equivalent of a paper cut to the bird. It only seemed to make it angrier. Fortunately the bird's size made it slow and clumsy. Auron was easily able to block and dodge most of what the bird dished out.

Rikku, in the spirit of always being prepared, began mixing a few odds and ends from her pouch. She wasn't going to pull any punches with this one. She quickly threw together a 9999 Trio and a few sunbursts. When she looked back up Auron was on the ground. She could see that he was making no real progress in defeating the creature, only making it angry.

She jumped off the speeder, knowing that it would not do well making it down the steep dune. She carefully began to make her way to the battlefield on foot. Her mixes remained in her hands, ready to throw them as soon as she was within range.

Suddenly the bird let out a giant screech and swept its giant claw at Auron. He must have been tired, as he didn't move fast enough to dodge the blow. Rikku screamed as Auron was thrown back. She wasn't sure the extent of the damage, but the legendary guardian was not moving.

Rikku took off, no longer caring about her footing on the dune. She tumbled down the mountain of sand and quickly got to her feet. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her towards the bird.

Just as it was about to go in for the final blow, Rikku tossed the first sunburst at the bird to draw its attention from Auron. It must have done some damage because the fiend cried out in a roar of pain. It turned towards Rikku and tried to take flight. The blast must have injured its wing. Rikku broke the vial of Trio against her hip and she breathed in the fumes from her gloved hand. She suddenly felt energized, as if she were invincible. She armed herself with the blades at her side and charged the fiend. She jumped off the ground with all her might and dug her blades into the already wounded side of the bird. Blood burst from its side and covered her. She was repulsed, but it did not stop her plan.

As she hung from the side of the fiend, with one blade still in its side she used all the strength she had to cut open the fiend. It roared and trashed about, but Rikku didn't relent. She dropped her blade and let it fall to the ground far below her. She used her now free hand to reach in her pocket and grab the other sunburst she had made. She pressed the pin to start the detonation sequence and pushed it inside the fiend as far as her arm would allow her to go.

She let go of the blade that had been holding her against the bird and fell rather ungracefully to the ground, but as soon as she hit, she took off, trying to get as far away from the fiend as possible as the giant continued to thrash about. She ran at full speed towards Auron, but only just made it as another explosion rocked the sandy valley.

She dove for Auron covering his body with hers and she felt the heat from the flame behind her. She stayed there for a few moments, but everything was quiet. She sat up and looked over her shoulder. As the smoke cleared, she could see that half of the fiend lay on the ground, and the other half was in tiny bits all around them.

Damn, she must have over mixed that sunburst, she thought to herself sheepishly...

She looked down at herself. She was completely covered in blood and sand.

"Oh god grosses!" She flung a few entrails off her arms, but was distracted when Auron groaned.

"Auron!" She pulled him into her lap and looked him over as best she could. Apparently the fiend had done more damage than she initially thought. There was blood pouring from his side. She lifted his shirt. The fiend's claw must have grazed him as it knocked him aside. She also noted many other wounds and bruises that looked like that had not been maintained. She frowned at this.

What the hell was this idiot thinking? He had already been injured when he came out here to take this fiend on!

Another groan came from him and he began to thrash about in her grasp. He opened his eyes and looked right at her. This was the first time she realized since that he had been back that he was looking at her with both eyes. He growled and tried to push her away, "What the hell are you doing!? I don't need your help." He yelled. His words were slurred and Rikku had a feeling that even though his eyes were open, he was not seeing her.

"Auron please..." She started but he continued to try and push her away. She noted tears flowing down his face.

"God damnit, when will you let me rest... I just want to rest!" He exclaimed. Rikku was confused, "Why can't you just let me die..." Rikku was taken back by this, and she felt her heart breaking for the man.

"Auron there is no reason to talk like that..." She said hushed. She wiped her hand over his forehead. She noted that he was slightly feverish.

"Fuck you... What do you know...?" Rikku's jaw clenched at his stubbornness, but she figured he was probably hallucinating.

"I know that I need to get you back to camp... I am not going to let you die Auron, no matter how much you want it..." She said back, but he had already passed out again.

Rikku looked around her, how the hell was she going to get him back home? She couldn't lift him, and even if she could, her speeder was back on top of the dune.

She groaned, knowing the only solution was going to cost her big time... She was going to have to call brother...

* * *

**What do you think? I hope it wasn't too awful! Lemme know.  
Now that I am over this hurdle, the next few chapters should be a breeze. **

**Much love!**

**Pryze. **


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